RS03RBmikeroads
Reuven Blignault
reuvenb@caxton.co.za
FERNDALE – Ward 104 councillor Mike Wood is worried about the state of a number of roads in the Ferndale area.
Many roads have been eroded due to wear and tear during the rainy season, resulting in a large number of deep potholes.
Wood said he had been inundated with complaints from residents and was in the process of discussing a way forward to fix the pothole issues and further road reinstatements with Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA).
“I am trying everything in my power to ensure that these issues are attended to by the City entities responsible for them. I would say, conservatively, there are currently over 1 000 potholes in my ward alone. Issues are reported with reference numbers issued, with no follow-up. They are dangerous and may lead to serious accidents if not attended to.”
Wood noted that extremely dangerous potholes were attended to by JRA in a timeous manner. Wood claimed that lesser ones were not attended to in the same manner due to issues at the City's asphalt production plant. Some were filled temporarily with gravel.
“The annual projected production at the asphalt plant is 110 000 tons but only 18 000 tons were produced last year. Even though the plant is capable of producing this, the City has resorted to buying 28 000 tons of asphalt from external sources.
“As Democratic Alliance City councillors, we have been to the plant to inspect what the situation is there, and plans for its production of asphalt and further plans for monetisation of it is certainly not working. A solution to this issue needs to be found as soon as possible.”
The Randburg Sun has contacted JRA and was awaiting a response to the claims issued by Wood.
